Apparatus for treating acidulous gases produced in the smelting or treatment of ores.



G. B. SPRAGUE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING AGIDULOUS GASES PRODUCED IN THE SMELTING 0R TREATMENT OF ORES.

APPLIOATION FILED PE]? 18, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented May 16, 1911.

EGGS? lmu em'ljcn-g Witnesses: 74221 M G. B. SPRAGUE. APPARATUS FOR TREATING ACIDULOUS GASES PRODUCED IN THE SMELTING OR TREATMENT OF ORES. APPLTOATION FILED FEB.18, 1910 Patented May 16, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WiUTDESSESI BEST AVAlLAELE COPY UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

CLARENCE IB. SPRAGUE, 0E SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIG-NOR T0 UNITED STATES SMELTING, REEINING &. MINING SOMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING TREATMENT OF ORE-S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application filed February 18, 1910. Serial No. 544,608.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it. known that I, CLARENCE B. SPRAGUE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Acidulous Gases Produced in the Smelting or Treatment of Ores; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to ore treating plants, and more particularly to apparatus for treating the acidulous smoke or gases given off from the ore treating furnaces of such plants.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or plant of this character having a novel and improved construction and mode of operation, whereby the discharge of injurious compounds into the atmosphere may be avoided, or the solid particles or fume contained in the smoke may be conveniently and economically removed so that any values therein may be recovered.-

To this end the invention consists in the combinations and features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter de-' scribed and set forth in the claims.

The various features of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the apparatus illustrated therein.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating an apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a sec tional detail showing the zinc oxid producing furnace; Fig. 3 is an" elevation, partly in section, of a fan and feeder for introducing a neutralizing powder; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the bag house.

In Patent No. 931,515 I have described a method of treating corrosive smoke, and in its operation the apparatus of the present invention practices the method .of said patent.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawings includes a battery 1 of converter roaster furnaces such as are commonly used in smelting plants, and a battery 2 of reverberatory roaster furnaces such as are also of a bag house 16 (Fig. i).

used in these smelting plants. The smoke or gases coming from these furnaces contain more or less sulfuric acid and other corrosive acid compounds, the smoke from the reverberatory roasters being more highly acid than the smoke from the converter roasters. The fines 3 and 4: leading from the converter roasters and the reverberatory roasters respectively unite in a common flue 5 through which the smoke is drawn by a fan 6. The smoke drawn through the fiues by the fan is forced through a fine 7 and distributing pipe 8 into the lower chambers 9 From the chambcrs 9 the smoke passes up through filtering bags 11 and is discharged into the atmosphere through the chimney 12. As the smoke passes through the bags the fine solid particles or fume held in suspension therein are collected on the interior of the bags, and fall, or may be shaken down into the chamher 9, from which they may be readily removed.

Since the smoke or gases coming from the ore treating furnaces contain sulfuric acid and other acid compounds which, if brought into contact with filter bags would quickly destroy or render them unfit for use, or if discharged into the atmosphere would injure surrounding vegetation, it is essential to the satisfactory operation of the apparatus that these corrosive compounds in the smoke be neutralized before the smoke passes through the bags or is discharged into the atmosphere.

In the apparatus shown, the means for effecting the neutralization of the less acid smoke from the converter furnaces consists of a furnace 13 which is constructed and op erated to produce zinc oxid fume and discharge it into the flue 3. As indicated in Fig. 2, this zinc oxid producing furnace is provided with a series of grates 14, any desired number of which may be utilized, according to the conditions under which the plant is being operated. A charge of finely ground zinc ores mixed with slack coal is piaced u on a grate, and a light air blast is delivere through the assages 15 and passes up through the ignited charge on the grate. The zinc oxid thus formed floats off and is delivered through a flue 16 into the flue 3 in the form of fume. This fume is held in suspension in the smoke passing through the flue 3, and neutralizes the corrosive acid compounds in the smoke so that this smoke may be passed through the filter bags without injur thereto, or if desired, may be discharged into the air wlthout danger of serious injury to-surrounding vegetation.

In case the flue 3 connects with a flue from the smoke from the reverberatory furnaces passes, and a feeder arranged to deliver powdered lime or other neutralizer into the suction side of the fan. Any suitable form of feeder may be utilized for this purpose, but it is preferred to use the feeder shown. This feeder consists of a hop er 19 for containing the neutralizer provi ed with a perforated bottom plate 20. The amount of neutralizin powder delivered through the discharge s ots'or holes in the bottom of the hopper is regulated by a reciprocating feed slide 21 arranged above the bottom plate, and provided with openings which are brou ht into and out of register with the openings of the bottom plate. The feed late is reciprocated through an eccentric 22 driven through belts 23 and 24 and shaft 25 from the fan shaft. The link 26 connecting the eccentric and feed slide is made in sections connected by a turn buckle, so that the slide may be adjusted to vary the feed of neutralizing powder as desired.

The neutralizing powder passes into the suction side of the fan casing through a chute 27, and is thoroughly intermingled with acid gases or smoke from the reverberatory furnaces by the fan, so that it is held in suspension in and neutralizes the smoke more or less completely. By connecting the flue 5 with the flue 3 from the furnace 13,v

any traces of corrosive acid which might otherwise remain in the smoke will be neutralized in the flue 5 by the zinc oxid fume contained in the smoke coming through the flue 8, and a complete neutralization of the highly acid gases from the reverberatory furnace will be insured. This smoke therefore, may be passed through the filter bags without injury thereto, or discharged into the atmosphere without danger of serious injury to the surrounding vegetation.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with an appa aeaaor ratus in which the ore treating furnaces are roast-er furnaces, it will be understood that the invention is not confined in its application to apparatus in which this type of furnace is employed, but may be utilized in connection with other forms of ore treating furnaces giving off acidulous smoke or gases.

It will also be understood that various features of the invention may be embodied in apparatus which does not contain all the features of the invention, and that the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described is not essential, except so far as set forth in the claims.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, and specifically described one form of apparatus in which it may be embodied, what I claim is 2-- 1. An apparatus of the character described comprising an ore treating furnace giving off acidulous smoke or gases, a bag house containing filtering bags, flues for conveying the smoke from the furnace to the bags, a fan included in the flues, and a feeder for delivering'a powdered neutraL izer into the suction side of the fan, substantially as described.

. 2. An apparatus of the character described comprising an ore treating furnace giving off acidulous smoke or gases, a bag house containing filtering bags, flues for conveying the smoke from the furnace to the bags, a fan included in the fines, a feeder for delivering a powdered neutralizer into the suction side of the fan, and a zinc oxid producing furnace for discharging zinc oxid fume into the lines between the fan and bags, substantially as described.

3. An apparatus of the character de scribed comprising two batteries of ore treating furnaces giving ofl acidulous smoke or gases, a bag house containing filtering bags, flues for conveying the smoke from the respective batteries of furnaces to the bags, a fan included in the flue from one battery of furnaces, a feeder for feeding a powdered neutralizer into the suction side of the fan, and a zinc oxid producing furnace for discharging zinc OXlCl fume into the flue from the other battery of furnaces, substantially as described.

4. An apparatus of the character described comprising an ore t-reating furnace giving off acidulous smoke or gases, a bag house containing filtering bags, fines for conveying the smoke from the furnace to the bags, and a zinc oXid producing furnace for discharging zinc oxid fume into the tines, substantially as described.

' 5. An apparatusv of the character described comprising an ore treating furnace giving off acidulous smoke or gases, a bag house containing filtering bags, fines for conveying the smoke from the furnace to the bags, a fan included in the fines, a hopper for neutralizing powder connected with the suction side ofthe fan and having a perforated bottom and perforated feed slide above said bottom, and means for reciproeating the feed slide to deliver regulated quantities of neutralizer to the fan, substantially as described.

6. An apparatus of the character described comprising an ore treating furnace giving off acidulous smoke or gases, a flue through which. the smoke is discharged, and a zinc oxid producing furnace for discharging zinc ozfid fume into the flue, substantiallyas described.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising an ore treating furnace giving Ofi acidulous smoke or gases, fiues through which the acidulous smoke is discharged, a fan included in the fines, and a feeder for delivering a powdered neutralizer into the fan, substantially as described.

8. An apparatus of the character described comprising an ore treating furnace giving off acidulous smoke or gases, fiues through which the acidulous smoke is discharged, afan included in the fiues, a feeder for delivering a powdered neutralizer into the suction side of the fan, anda zinc oxid producing furnace for discharging zinc oxid fume beyond the fan, substantially as described.

CLARENCE B. SPRAGUE.

lVitnesses:

It. H. BUTTERFIELD, ANDREW HOWAT. 

